Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Hector on Thin Ice
Illustrator: Pamela R. Levy
Fiction Series
For ages 6 to 9
Simon and Schuster, 2004 ISBN: 978-0689864179
Winter has almost arrived and Hector Fuller the wumblebug is running out of time. He needs to build a new home before it is too late and yet he has only dug one small room. The hill that he chose for his excavations looked so promising but now it would appear that rocks bar his way at every turn. Now, to make matters worse, his brother Cosmo and his very large family have arrived and they mean to spend the winter with Hector. Where on earth are they all going to stay?
Before Hector has time to do or say much of anything Cosmo and his wife and brood cram themselves into Hector's small hole. Then they set about digging more tunnels and rooms. In fact they plan on excavating a whole wumblebug complex and since there are so many of them and as they are so energetic, it would appear they may actually succeed in their amazing endeavors. Unfortunately Cosmo and his family fail to take one important fact into consideration; that other hungry and angry creatures might be living in that hill and that they might consider wumblebugs to be a tasty snack.
For an animal who likes a life of peace and quite Hector Fuller certainly seems to find more than his fair share of adventures. Though he is not overly enthusiastic when his brother turns up, Hector's determination and courage to protect his family in the face of danger cannot be questioned. He is a hero and we love him for it. Full of charming snippets of natural history and images of the countryside in its winter glory, this is a delightful installment in the Adventures of Hector Fuller series.
